Methods and systems for concealing information

ABSTRACT

A retrieving system for retrieving information concealed within a sequence of symbols. The system includes a decoder configurable using rule information and operable when so configured to retrieve the information concealed within the sequence of symbols by applying to the sequence of symbols at least one decoder rule determined by the configuration of the encoder.

TECHNICAL FIELD

Disclosed herein is a method for concealing information, a method for retrieving concealed information, a concealing system for concealing information, and a retrieving system for retrieving concealed information.

BACKGROUND

Many types of encryption require at least one key to conceal and subsequently retrieve information, for example digital information. There is a long felt need however, for a system that secures information and that provides alternatives to existing key based encryption systems.

SUMMARY

Disclosed herein is a method for concealing information comprising a sequence of symbols. The method comprises the step of obtaining rule information from a location indicated by location information obtained using a Uniform Resource Locator (URL). The method comprises the step of using the rule information so obtained to configure an encoder operable when so configured to form concealed information by applying to the information comprising the sequence of symbols at least one encoder rule determined by the configuration of the encoder.

An embodiment of the method may enable personalized concealment of information to, for example securely hold information in ‘the cloud’ and for personalized concealed information transfer, for example, via the internet.

The concealed information may take the form of, for example, an ordered group of symbols in which the sequence of symbols are distributed.

An embodiment comprises the step of operating the encoder on the information comprising the sequence of symbols to form the concealed information.

In an embodiment, the step of applying to the information at least one encoder rule comprises the step of grouping symbols from the sequence of symbols into a plurality of groups of symbols and changing the sequence of the plurality of groups of symbols.

In an embodiment, the step of grouping symbols comprises the step of using the rule information to determine a number of symbols in each of the plurality of groups of symbols.

In an embodiment, the step of using the rule information comprises the step of operating on symbols of rule affecting information, to obtain a plurality of group size numbers indicative of the number of symbols in each of the plurality of groups.

Generally, but not always, the rule affecting information may be a sequence of bits. The rule affecting information generally but not necessarily varies from one incident of concealment to another. Such variation may provide that the same information concealed with the same rule information and the same other rules as may be used, and provide different concealment. Rule affecting information may be pre-shared as information or as a rule for such information. For example, rule affecting information may be the fifth word of the tenth sentence of the 5 o'clock evening news bulletin on a particular TV channel. Another example of the rule affecting information may be the series of the maximum and minimum temperature of five specific cities for the day when the concealment is/was undertaken. The rule affecting information may be retrieved from an electronic source of rule affecting information. Any mathematical or logical rule or combination thereof may be used to create a rule for creating the rule affecting information. The use of the rule affecting information is optional. In an embodiment the rule affecting information is pre-shared, as a rule for the rule affecting information, between the concealing and the retrieving systems or between the encoder and the decoder.

In an embodiment the rule affecting information may be within the file system information of a file carrying the concealed information.

In general any suitable string of symbols may be arbitrarily generated or used as the rule affecting information and it may have any arbitrary number and type of symbols suitable for use in concealing the information. Generally but not necessarily, a digital string of symbols may be used as the rule affecting information.

In an embodiment, the step of applying to the information comprising the sequence of symbols the at least one encoder rule comprises the step of joining a sequence of other symbols with the rule information.

In an embodiment, the step of joining together the rule information and the concealed information comprises the step of disposing the rule information within the other symbols.

In an embodiment, the step of applying to the information comprising the sequence of symbols at least one encoder rule comprises the step of joining the rule information and the concealed information to form transmittable concealed information for subsequent transmission to a decoder operable to retrieve the rule information from the transmittable concealed information, use the rule information to set at least one decoder rule, and subsequently retrieve the information comprising the sequence of symbols from the transmittable concealed information using the at least one decoder rule.

An embodiment comprises the step of disposing the transmittable concealed information in a file for subsequent transmission to the decoder.

In an embodiment, the location of the rule information in the joined rule information and the concealed information, is indicated by file system information of the file.

In an embodiment, the location of the rule information is indicated by location information external of the file.

In an embodiment, the location information is obtained using logic.

In an embodiment, the location information comprises at least one of time information and time derived information.

In an embodiment, the location information comprises information derivable from the environment in which the decoder operates.

In an embodiment, the step of applying to the information at least one encoder rule comprises at least one of providing, posting and placing rule information, and providing, posting, placing hints and/or clues about rule information for a decoder operable to retrieve the rule information, to use the rule information to set at least one decoder rule, and subsequently retrieve the information from the concealed information using the at least one decoder rule.

In an embodiment, the logic comprises fuzzy logic.

In an embodiment, the step of determining rule information comprises the step of a rule information determiner of a processor determining the rule information, and wherein the step of using the rule information so determined to configure the encoder comprises the step of the processor using the rule information so determined to configure the encoder.

In an embodiment, the processor comprises the encoder.

Disclosed herein is a method for retrieving information concealed within a sequence of symbols. The method comprises the step of obtaining rule information from a location indicated by location information obtained using a uniform Resource Locator (URL). The method comprises the step of using the rule information so obtained to configure a decoder operable when so configured to retrieve the information concealed within the sequence of symbols by applying to the sequence of symbols at least one decoder rule determined by the configuration of the encoder.

An embodiment comprises the step of operating the decoder on the sequence of symbols to retrieve the information within the sequence of symbols.

In an embodiment, the step of applying the at least one decoder rule comprises the step of grouping symbols from the sequence of symbols into a plurality of groups of symbols and changing the sequence of the plurality of groups of symbols.

In an embodiment, the step of using the rule information to determine a number of symbols in each of the plurality of groups of symbols.

In an embodiment, the step of using the rule information comprises the step of operating on symbols of rule affecting information, to obtain a plurality of group size numbers indicative of the number of symbols in each of the plurality of groups.

An embodiment comprises the step of separating the plurality of groups from a sequence of other symbols within the sequence of symbols.

In an embodiment the rule information is determined from the sequence of symbols.

In an embodiment, the location of the rule information in the sequence of symbols, is indicated by file system information of the file.

In a embodiment, the location of the rule information in the sequence of symbols is indicated by location information external of the file.

In an embodiment, the location information is obtained using logic.

In an embodiment, the location information comprises at least one of time information and time derived information.

In an embodiment, the location information comprises information derivable from the environment in which the decoder operates.

In an embodiment, the step of applying to the information at least one decoder rule comprises at least one of obtaining rule information provided, posted or placed by the concealing system. The step of applying to the information at least one decoder rule may comprise and obtaining hints and/or clues provided, posted or placed by the concealing system about the rule information for a decoder operable to retrieve the rule information. The step of applying to the information at least one decoder rule comprise using the rule information to set at least one decoder rule. The step of applying to the information at least one decoder rule may comprise subsequently retrieving the information from the concealed information using the at least one decoder rule.

In an embodiment, the logic comprises fuzzy logic.

In an embodiment, the step of determining rule information comprises the step of a rule information determiner of a processor determining the rule information, and wherein the step of using the rule information so determined to configure the decoder comprises the step of the processor using the rule information so determined to configure the decoder.

In an embodiment, the processor comprises the encoder.

Disclosed herein is a concealing system for concealing information comprising a sequence of symbols. The system comprises an encoder configurable using rule information obtained from a location indicated by location information obtained using a Uniform Resource Locator (URL) and when so configured operable to form concealed information by applying to the information comprising the sequence of symbols at least one encoder rule defined by the configuration of the encoder.

In an embodiment, the encoder comprises a symbol grouping module arranged to group symbols from the sequence of symbols into a plurality of groups of symbols and changing the sequence of the plurality of groups of symbols.

In an embodiment, the symbol grouping module is arranged to use the rule information to determine a number of symbols in each of the plurality of groups of symbols.

In an embodiment, the step of using the rule information comprises the step of operating on symbols of the rule affecting information, to obtain a plurality of group size numbers indicative of the number of symbols in each of the plurality of groups.

In an embodiment, the joining module is arranged to put a sequence of other symbols together with the information comprising a sequence of symbols.

In an embodiment, the joining module is arranged to dispose the rule information within the other symbols.

An embodiment comprises a joining module arranged to join the rule information and the concealed information to form transmittable concealed information for subsequent transmission to a decoder operable to retrieve the rule information from the transmittable concealed information, use the rule information to set at least one decoder rule, and subsequently retrieve the information from the transmittable concealed information using the at least one decoder rule. An embodiment comprises a file module for disposing one or more of the transmittable concealed information, the rule information and the rule affecting information in a file for subsequent transmission to and/or access by the decoder.

In an embodiment, the file module is arranged to indicate the location of the rule affecting information in file system information of the file.

An embodiment a location information module arranged to obtain the location information indicative of the positions of at least one: the rule information; the rule affecting information; and at least one of the position of a hint of the position of the rule information, and a clue of the position of the rule information.

In an embodiment, the location information module is arranged to obtain the location information using logic.

In an embodiment, the location information module is arranged to derive the location information from at least one of time information and time derived information.

In an embodiment, the location information module is arranged to derive the location from the environment in which the decoder operates.

An embodiment comprises a processor comprising the encoder and configured to configure the encoder using the rule information. The processor may comprise a rule information determiner configured to determine the rule information, and the encoder is configurable by the processor using the rule information so determined.

Disclosed herein is a retrieving system for retrieving information concealed within a sequence of symbols. The system comprises a decoder configurable using rule information obtained from a location indicated by location information obtained using a Uniform Resource Locator (URL) and operable when so configured to retrieve the information concealed within the sequence of symbols by applying to the sequence of symbols at least one decoder rule determined by the configuration of the encoder.

An embodiment comprises a grouping module arranged to group symbols from the sequence of symbols into a plurality of groups of symbols and changing the sequence of the plurality of groups of symbols.

In an embodiment, the grouping module is arranged to use the rule information to determine a number of symbols in each of the plurality of groups of symbols.

In an embodiment, the grouping module is arranged to operate on symbols of the rule affecting information with symbols of the sequence of symbols to obtain a plurality of group size numbers indicative of the number of symbols in each of the plurality of groups.

An embodiment comprises a separation module arranged to separate the plurality of groups from a sequence of other symbols within the sequence of symbols.

An embodiment comprises a rule information determiner arranged to determine at least one of: the rule information; and at least one of a hint of the position of the rule information and a clue of the position of the rule information.

In an embodiment, the rule information determiner is arranged to determine the rule information from the concealed information.

In an embodiment, the rule information determiner is arranged to obtain location information indicative of the location of the rule information within the concealed information, and retrieve the rule information from the concealed information using the rule information determiner.

In an embodiment, the rule information determiner is arranged to obtain location information indicative of the location of the rule information from a source external of the concealed information.

In an embodiment, the rule information determiner is arranged to obtain the rule information using logic.

In an embodiment, the rule information determiner is arranged to obtain the rule information using at least one of time information and time derived information.

In an embodiment, the rule information determiner is arranged to obtain the rule information using information derivable from the environment in which the decoder operates.

An embodiment is arranged to determine the rule information using file system information.

An embodiment comprises a processor comprising the decoder and configured to configure the decoder using the rule information. The processor may comprise a rule information determiner configured to determine the rule information, and the decoder is configurable by the processor using the rule information so determined.

Disclosed herein is processor readable tangible media including program instructions which when executed by a processor causes the processor to perform a method disclosed above.

A computer program for instructing a processor, which when executed by the processor causes the processor to perform a method disclosed above.

A concealing system defined by claim 38 wherein the logic comprises fuzzy logic.

A retrieving system defined by claim 51 wherein the logic comprises fuzzy logic.

Disclosed herein is processor readable tangible media including program instructions which when executed by a processor causes the processor to perform a method disclosed above.

Disclosed herein is a computer program for instructing a processor, which when executed by the processor causes the processor to perform a method disclosed above.

Any of the various features of each of the above disclosures, and of the various features of the embodiments described below, can be combined as suitable and desired.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE FIGURES

Embodiments will now be described by way of example only with reference to the accompanying figures in which: 

1. A method for concealing information comprising a sequence of symbols, the method comprising the steps of: obtaining rule information from a location indicated by location information obtained using a Uniform Resource Locator (URL); and using the rule information so obtained to configure an encoder operable when so configured to form concealed information by applying to the information comprising the sequence of symbols at least one encoder rule determined by the configuration of the encoder. 2-11. (canceled)
 12. A method for retrieving information concealed within a sequence of symbols, the method comprising the steps of: obtaining rule information from a location indicated by location information obtained using a Uniform Resource Locator (URL); using the rule information so obtained to configure a decoder operable when so configured to retrieve the information concealed within the sequence of symbols by applying to the sequence of symbols at least one decoder rule determined by the configuration of the encoder. 13-21. (canceled)
 22. A concealing system for concealing information comprising a sequence of symbols, the system comprising: an encoder configurable using rule information obtained from a location indicated by location information obtained using a Uniform Resource Locator (URL) and when so configured operable to form concealed information by applying to the information comprising the sequence of symbols at least one encoder rule defined by the configuration of the encoder.
 23. A concealing system defined by claim 22 wherein the encoder comprises a symbol grouping module arranged to group symbols from the sequence of symbols into a plurality of groups of symbols and changing the sequence of the plurality of groups of symbols.
 24. A concealing system defined by claim 23 wherein the symbol grouping module is arranged to use the rule information to determine a number of symbols in each of the plurality of groups of symbols.
 25. A concealing system defined by claim 22 comprising a joining module arranged to join the rule information and the concealed information to form transmittable concealed information for subsequent transmission to a decoder operable to retrieve the rule information from the transmittable concealed information, use the rule information to set at least one decoder rule, and subsequently retrieve the information from the transmittable concealed information using the at least one decoder rule.
 26. A concealing system defined by claim 22 wherein the joining module is arranged to put a sequence of other symbols together with the information comprising a sequence of symbols.
 27. A concealing system defined by claim 26 wherein the joining module is arranged to dispose the rule information within the other symbols.
 28. A concealing system defined by claim 22 comprising a file module for disposing one or more of the transmittable concealed information, the rule information and the rule affecting information in a file for subsequent transmission to and/or access by the decoder.
 29. (canceled)
 30. A concealing system defined by claim 22 comprising a location information module arranged to obtain location information indicative of the positions of at least one: the rule information; the rule affecting information; and at least one of the position of a hint of the position of the rule information, and a clue of the position of the rule information.
 31. (canceled)
 32. A retrieving system for retrieving information concealed within a sequence of symbols, the system comprising: a decoder configurable using rule information obtained from a location indicated by location information obtained using a Uniform Resource Locator (URL) and operable when so configured to retrieve the information concealed within the sequence of symbols by applying to the sequence of symbols at least one decoder rule determined by the configuration of the encoder.
 33. A retrieving system defined by claim 32 comprising a grouping module arranged to group symbols from the sequence of symbols into a plurality of groups of symbols and changing the sequence of the plurality of groups of symbols.
 34. A retrieving system defined by claim 33 wherein the grouping module is arranged to use the rule information to determine a number of symbols in each of the plurality of groups of symbols.
 35. A retrieving system defined by claim 34 wherein the grouping module is arranged to operate on symbols of the rule affecting information with symbols of the sequence of symbols to obtain a plurality of group size numbers indicative of the number of symbols in each of the plurality of groups.
 36. A retrieving system defined by claim 35 comprising a separation module arranged to separate the plurality of groups from a sequence of other symbols within the sequence of symbols.
 37. A retrieving system defined by claim 36 comprising a rule information determiner arranged to determine at least one of: the rule information; and at least one of a hint of the position of the rule information and a clue of the position of the rule information.
 38. A retrieving system defined by claim 37 wherein the rule information determiner is arranged to determine the rule information from the sequence of symbols.
 39. A retrieving system defined by claim 38 wherein the rule information determiner is arranged to obtain location information indicative of the location of the rule information within the concealed information, and retrieve the rule information from the sequence of symbols using the rule information determiner. 40-42. (canceled)
 43. A retrieving system defined by claim 32 where at least part of the rule information is determined using fuzzy logic. 44-56. (canceled) 